Made Up Trade: Sixers Buy Low On Lopez

BROOKLYN, NY - APRIL 9: Brook Lopez #11 of the Brooklyn Nets goes to the basket against Thaddeus Young #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers on April 9, 2013 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

by Spike Eskin

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The NBA trade deadline is Thursday. THE NBA TRADE DEADLINE IS THURSDAY! Can you feel the excitement? Trading expiring contracts, draft picks, disappointments and the hope that maybe you’ll win the lottery. The NBA, it’s fannnnnnntastic!

The general story recently has been that the Sixers are likely to trade Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes, and will likely hold on to Thaddeus Young until draft night, when they know exactly what draft pick they could be getting for him. When rumors swing one way, they lead me to believe the reality could be very different.

In any case, we have a made-up trade from Ethan Giles (our made-up trade Commissioner), that involves and does NOT involve a draft pick. We’re thinking out of the box here.

Sixers receive:

Brook Lopez ($14.6 million, three years)

Nets Receive:

Thaddeus Young ($8.8 million, three years)

Jason Richardson ($6.2 million, two years)

Why The Sixers Do It: Brook Lopez, when healthy, is one of the true dominant (offensive at least), centers in the NBA. A true low-post threat, he would be an interesting fit with Nerlens Noel. If he’s healthy, Lopez is a very fair contract at $14.6 million per year. You’re taking a chance with his health, but we’ve been through that before, and survived! Barely, but we survived. The Sixers also get rid of Jason Richardson’s seemingly endless contract.

Why The Nets Do It: Brook Lopez may be healthy next year, but next year is of no concern to the Nets, whose already old players seem to be aging at a faster rate than the rest of us. They’ve got to try and win now, and Thaddeus Young will help them do that. Plus, Billy King is the general manager, and it would be pretty hilarious to stick him with Richardson’s contract.

For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t make this one if I’m the Sixers. The injury stuff worries me too much, and I can’t take another two years of sunk cost in a center. I’m just too fragile.